Life: its forms and Varieties.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XII, Issue 505, 2 September 1867, Page 1

Life: its forms and Varieties.

(Continued from our taut.J j Now, to give you some idea of the mechanism! of life in an animal, let mo use a somewhat rough \ and ready illusiration, and liken me body of man' ! to a. steam engine, the food of which is coals, the I Wood is the water in the boiler, the nervous 1 power is the steam obtained from the water, the ;muscular or moving gear consisting of rods and i axles pushing to and fro, and set ting the whole ' machine in motion. .Now, in man, tiie food is like coals in containing carbon, which we see in a; solid form as charcoal, and this carbon food, like: the coals, becomes burnt in our lungs and bloodvessels, so that we feel warm, not actually burnt! as coals are burnt, for wo deem the tales of in-i temperate spirit-drinkers undergoing spontaneous \ combustion simply ridiculous,' not actually burnt,' but rather chemically oxidized, just as’nnder thei influence of damp the oil in the fibres of a bale of; wool becomes oxidised and heated, so, with us,' the oily or carbon food attracts the oxygen of toe! atmosphere and becomes oxidised; heat is pro-1 duced, and we feel warm, exercise quickens the 1 circulation of the blood, and the frequency' of the breathing, more air is taken into the lungs, andmore oxidising occurs, and we lech hot. Excessive exercise produces excessive' oxidising, and we ted so hot that we perspire; the evaporation of the perspiration produces cold, and thus we are cool again. In cold climates the demand for carbonic food for keeping up the heat ot the body is so great, that tnc inhabitants consume la ge quantities of fat. The Russians, and even some of our llritisb seamen' engaged in expeditions to the North Vole, have been said to have heartily enjoyed tallow candles, ■ and this not from any deficiency of ordinary food. ■ Here, in Auckland, in the cold weather we cat. more fat than in summer time. As in plants, all our food requires to be reduced to a liquid form ■ to be of service in nutrition ; iu like manner the! decayed matter produced by the wear and tear of, the body must become liquid, or the mechanisin' becomes choked, diseased. We will now turn to jthe nervous^power, the steam ; this is s. paratcui

from the warm blood by myriads of microscopic nerves dotted all over the brain, spinal inarrow, ana buekhonThis nervous power travels at tiie ntU- ui Idb feet per s .coin], along very minute tubes, the nerves, till it roaches the fiesip i-i other words, the rods and axles, which it ca ises to shorten and lengthen, thus producing movement, and setting a-going the machinery of man’s body. In peivm.- s-iifering from convulsions, the supply of nervous power in the nerve tubes is cot suthdent to keep the minute mechanism of the bon/ in harmonious working; it moves in fits and spasms, just as a street engine when short of 'steam. So, likewise, pat; nation <»i the uc.u'C is often due to ucii'deui nervous energy. You thus see that nervousness is mu iro ii excess of nervous power, but from waul >"f sultrdonc.v. Tnauder weather, which s'UU’s the milk and addles the 'eggs, when there is unnb neg.tiim ciccrricity in the atmosphere acts like a v> cal-: galvanic battery, by giving a continued >rvirs of shock? to the nervous system; me nervoius svstcm become:* weakened; we feel upprea.-* b dull, ti**cd, and sleepy. If we arc. to u.m* the o.o:u:a»m exprc-jsiou, troubled with rheum.itimn it is mis thunder weath. r that srir* up the old pains ami aches; if the we.ither be wet, a;so. t’no ci< curhy is all the better e.onvcyj.l, and our twinggj of pan ail tho more umiie. Mome parsons. wiiO are extra nnsl-

tive, fed all this in wet weather ■ u;y. rhe electricity of the ai!in>*puere being i .o rea- ; .1.y cou'ductrd *o them through the -..-tun air. cp.mkl.ig •general v, the natural a oc'.m hy of men i« positive; 'ji u' amin, I'rc pm'diy imgdire :of plants, : UMiaby negative. *.’■ aa ■ m o.x-ctvicjty is pv .duce j. jWlicu you rub a hi.ap g: >so ; arg.hivo c!cotr-aity : when yon. rub a piece of sea'ing .v-ix. Vvhcntaie 'electv of i!ie air is in u negative '•o’idhmu we find s!ckn'cs> most pmvmoat. h'a ro kv electricity I abounds namiy alter dark, c-pomc ;'y ix-teesa • twelve ami tnrec in the luorvi’.uand between it wo or three in the (V.y: perhaps this widacj<‘ •run f*r: he greaicr lVm i venc.y of d - s tms uuri tg these hour-, and aNo for ; . no aaheuity persou-j expert.-a'’.- ia applymg irv- to any severe vv,.rl. *t ' o-'C p vi >»is. 'no 1 n u.» ar'. j ukavred lb labo* rut tafi-c tha -s seem to ha; aiaa-* cxhuU-hed by it than they woiibi !.:*»«? b-.cuby it cerrospomiL.'g ■tannna <d day w-vk. i'a.-hivo o.octricity is in -roa' nbuud.on.m dumvg the day. mid U supposed m .n’t ns a rciiv-hm X < tuc bo v. V.) go back to cmr -team .mein-*: hi warning Ihe working of h >r:m rml.u; y.-.u may have aonce i that ah the coal f > id h- ;n»t c m-nrur I. or: that somo remains, us i>.>, an ; ca-t "■•n, jr-c as 111 mam,. 1 when we s.v that it un;h..csied. \g;in f i will ofimi the ouriu-.-.-r wipaig (hll neat parti iOf the iuu ' inv.y. au't u y at were e.vam.ipe ;xviT • 1 a jf 'ug mug'-oiving nl os v.-lial d is that mj ■ \vin>-; a vrv, y«.m v..nh.u hud d to cu;isi.-L of xery him- '..«v!i c ‘cs of I .«u 1 Wnaai l.e.d c-riicOii vnuorOd \ ; e : kh: m its yrr.dng to and fr-'; moreover, tho | engi uimr won hi 1 1 ■1 i > ( »u t out lire j rods and asacs 'ircqiriod to he vm-.a-: al by n<rv ones* ro> ih.-y so ;-oun worn "tit; iu 1- c., mat the wiiolo engine itself weald be vs .ru out iu .-o )u.ruy yours, i In 'like manner is it with us. our oodles arc. so la |speak, co'a-iruoie I to la-i u cortaiu number of '.Year-; wae.i one p;u*r <n us wears GUt WC do noj? !h:ivr -i :;e‘-h 01m put in h.s place, for Wc Iced iu {:iddh h:>u *iii a tles!i-f oaui'pr. uu aa\; urikt.tg i e-d, ; M > t ns ihd ~s one :1 'h wastes, jasi so fast j does the llesh-i’ u ei.e.g 1 ml IdXtid mulvTldl for ' rrivf. •. lii di>re..--, to., il-aa 1 >cm.ug machinery h.utea wo.rks lint sl.v/lv; clcuuont stemi, soma idoclois suv. a . sf> give sti ail! ex s; t;»C ropuiri 'are m • suiucleut to compensate for the ordinary j wear ana ie.tr, thus me inwn-'l gets turn, buc ! when the licixcncsj <d the i- audy has passed away, l!\e v.ick man urs mn :>r c..n cun fuc i^ ■ such as iV.t or sug.'ii*. I > tu-’.uce he—l aud to iquicken luj X sh-f n. .g machuiery ; this sooa uicts vig'n* 1 -W.c. so 1 but n r - is ravenous lor ino.it, laud -• > ammo- U nm his v.orkiug weight is rejcslid ::-ia d. Auolhci- ca.-.' d arm v,a ia ;mn V-- . 0.-; ; p; to be a. .iY 3 lading iaa, !><r we ■ j stOi•• awav cii> fii‘b ac.c 1o »; Inal v.e no not im-

j111 e iii: 1 1 1 •;>* vupiue uu a na-utU our .-Kill, ana *a :cveiy nook im.» cran.-y of in-' oody ; wo cnii it a !Inver of fat; very war.a it is. and very convenient when Kod is a.-! u. !>• o’oiaincd. \t' you iiavu carefully folio-.ved me unis ir.r, I think you will have seen that, uaioss i ho *un samcn upon tiiQ plant, enabln.r ii o doe-mp >-c the curb nic acid given oif iV'nn t!w b uio-. n a-ii r. thu carbon 10 ooit 'Ac ■i.-<„umni iie, and aurciy <L:ii'cy ( very animal, and i heu every plaui. A ioiai ecupse of the sun. .;c.Nond a i-n. in length of time, would thus r;m>o uiiivor>ul ii. dh. 'i'o veiu.ni to Ufa; living lie ngs arc into two great c.asses, tin- animal and the vege ah ih -nis e.re ospe* Ciuiu ''ha:'urtcrisod by im-ar d having Jgo power of inoviiig ab'uit; by :..o;r iceding water, and animal auci .bhe m.u-cr u,>s uved in toe wa’ver, and tw lu.-ir purb-.o me nir wo

. breathe dividing t.u c.:- - - 1 a.o >c:d li**.--• oxygon, (which t in-y >oi f.«-o for the m annual..,, aal . ; i:;r'*> o;irho\s, winui they iak :up us food. Aniuui;* hlill’.T lr on phi.us ui m.vmg bae ;k)\voi* of laoviuj ’; a. id i,i ]•• bn ng v poll plains or animals ; all 1 .aid.aa.s i'o.-iih.* exvgcn u-t‘l give oat carbomo Tne Mnipb-sL iciiu v. f vu o et;inio Ine wc fl.nl I, is the gc.-mi s:i:ii3 wmeh >o often grow* upon irtarnp stones and wal.s '/daluiogiea uuikroco ah Iw niji ;e up of lit He e o vsiiapcd pieces of (co.ourlos lolly, with a green mass in tim centre of ouch; iu growing, c.*.cU of Vac green ni:s3G3 1 divi.lt > into two. thou the jolly aUo, to that two puces urc fanned. The lowed iorni of animal : life is c.UUM ’.he aimeba.il is found in stagnant . | water, ami cond-ds iu a tiny bit ui colt jelly, thus oven sampler in structure than tuc groju mimr, from wloeh h. differs, however, in its having tuo power of moving about, and in its feeding upon solid foud. if moves alter tins lasbiou: if yon Iwali'll it, you will notice a little outTe.il Of edey •iu <-ue purl of it, this is speedily loliovcd. by a lbulging out of par*. ' f the body, ns to icrm an ■ irregular kmd m an.i, i.,0 red of lue oody loilows this arm. au isi m seuuuit iscon p’.cted. In lecdi!iug. it t inis places iiS'dl'over me annual or vegc--111 able wubu it seeks to devour; presdug itwif so beiosely up >u it as to Knee it into us miCnor, S 3 * that wc can sec a speck in Us jehy-uKe body. Tuia , speck is often surrounded by a dear tp.ic like an s I air bubble ; iu its passage across tue u.*ay of tn 3 I animal, the Ibod seems to nave lo>t its md-rluva ; I properties, only the iadige.-nblo p-.-rtioii eonunj i out. This is the simplest form of u;g stion, no i!mouth even being . ope.avd. A th r, ugnt that ► jstrikes one us regards these lower luiuis ui life is, •jif I raav so term it, the strong \iuu po.ver wnied. :!they contain; the dulicalty of killing c:eaturea -That live wuen dry for yeais, even wncu ;| to a strong sun ; creatures that ice wld not km ; bflies ihai uevc-r eat at ab ; beeims that y-ju m.iy >!xin on a beard for uumlhs without injury, or t int i’jwill exist without food for \c.«.rs, and yet cmuinao ,'in full action as if nothing were the matter; wlilcii suffer the io>s of ncud and yet re* •(produce it; crabs that throw off a cUuv at plea* bsurc; spiders and insects unit will reproduce a ■ Tiinb; gold fish which happen u ku-o their tails, band yet grow them again; water sam.oanaeri b which socm uucjueerueJ ul t;.e loss of a tan. a dlcg. an eye, or oven a jaw, for th.-y al. g-'jw again -iperfect, with nerve and smew, hjae and uiood. >:i/' Uu niiui Will icur-.< nice a lest or mejver { a 1-hM head- Tiie'c.-m.no.j sea slug. •va:cu ro* - t.ie Anger ui a glove, v-f Ilkcll. jf-U-nxi ; oon>i>t«'nco, which ui-vKOs me £ -ea so uciunmi 1 with piiosphoresecncc at and. it-, gay '“jl car rby day, this cve.xuire p:..>-t;»ec the p i.vc-u wueu i excited, of sudden.y expelling it* iic.m. -t ou*3ii, .■and cveryiluug cue. J .nd , i e- mcy grow Hga.n, . Tncve are some worms which wui ue.u Ij eo i cnoppoct up into in tie i-mcn ?.'-d y.,-i e.ieii pars 1 urows ;md becuiiies a separate animal; lac f oil i water polypus you may som e tha>. u.» wed us Lad I'bernmtiu sea anewonii. it ?iv-ms »h.nu>t a* umo t,fewer and mo simpler the mflees re*4.ui.ed of tud i vital power' the ugorousfy and penecuy it > does it* work, himuinalhrK cannot grow am arm ior y icg if they happen to lose one ; perhaps Uia • spare vital p wer goe> u form waaiour uuad I they may possess, just as iu big men tno vital I’vifyxynr snread over so large a surface thaS «I their mind suifers far il. Uow few mg men ara i great men? How many great iut)X are little la. . stature 1 I {To b* eonUnvtd.J